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It was recently pointed out to me that it was only proper to refer to someone as an aikidoka if that person is a professional aikido instructor, and that an aikido practioner/student should be referred to as an aikidoist. I'm curious is anyone is familiar with this usage, or has other thoughts on the proper use of the terminology?

In the cases in which I've heard the suffix "ka" used in everyday Japanese speech, it more pointed to someone who did the thing as a profession. For example, a politician is a "seijika."

However, if someone answered that they were an aikidoka or a judoka, I don't think that the person hearing this would immediately place this person as an aikido or judo instructor but that the person was a serious practitioner (as Chuck said) in the art.

My gut feeling from what I know about the language is that the person must basically consider the art to be his or her primary focus in life...

Japanese is the universally accepted technical language of budo practice. If we do not understand the usage properly, as the art continues to spread, we'll all eventually come up with different meanings.

If we really understand the original meanings and can transmit that...then I agree it doesn't make any difference what terms you use.

I think either one is fine. We use a great deal of Japanese in our dojo, and actually don't use either one very much!
Although, aikido began in Japan, I think as time goes on we will see that it is not culture-specific. As a matter of fact, that helps its acceptance and spread because it embodies principles that are desirable in virtually all societies.
As the art continues to evolve, it may well be the U.S. that becomes the dominant country for aikido. I've not been to Japan, but I would guess that there are as many or more excellent instructors in this country, whether of Japanese origin or U.S. birth. I also think the national character of the U.S. which is to question, experiment, innovate may do much more for the future of aikido because of the pressure to fit in and harmonize in Japan. I mean no disrespect, and merely have in mind the model of the electronics industry for example where the ideas for new products started here and the products were built in Japan.
As Dennis Miller says, "But then I could be wrong." Have an aiki day!

I hope that Japan remains the martial arts capital of the eastern world... if the US usurped that like they do almost everything else, there wouldn't be much left of interest about the country, except perhaps the cars and Playstation 2 . I hope Japan can keep their martial heritage, because that's so much of what their country is about.

-Nick

---
Nick Porter
"Do not fall into the trap of the artisan who boasts twenty years of experience, when in fact he has had only one year of experience-- twenty times."

I think they have a strong martial heritage, but I don't think the modern country is much about it. I think many average Japanese don't have much more than a cursory knowledge of martial arts or the terminology from what I've read.

I agree with AikiTom on this point, actually. It sounds like Nick has some romanticized notions about my "fair" country. Most "modern" Japanse people I met when I was doing research there at a university in Tokyo were a lot more interested in sports like rugby and tennis. When I went back a few years back and told some of them that I was going to Aikikai Hombu Dojo to train, they made "karate chop" hand motions in indicating what they knew about the art -- hardly anything.

You're right that pretty much anyone in a university club or such can attain shodan in one year and that it doesn't mean much. I think that people outside of Japan have placed way too much fanfare in people's getting a black belt as though it implied mastery...

akiy wrote:I agree with AikiTom on this point, actually. It sounds like Nick has some romanticized notions about my "fair" country. Most "modern" Japanse people I met when I was doing research there at a university in Tokyo were a lot more interested in sports like rugby and tennis. When I went back a few years back and told some of them that I was going to Aikikai Hombu Dojo to train, they made "karate chop" hand motions in indicating what they knew about the art -- hardly anything.

Chuck Clark wrote:Japanese is the universally accepted technical language of budo practice. If we do not understand the usage properly, as the art continues to spread, we'll all eventually come up with different meanings.

thats a great point chuck,Maybe that should be applied for all words and concepts.

Nick wrote:no offense was intended. I just read it somewhere and thought it might have had some truth. I guess not.

No offense taken, of course. I think it's a common misconception. What you say may have been true, say, thirty or forty years ago, but I can't say I've seen what you wrote in Japan too often these days...